


cats of a feather...

by underscorepidge



Category: DCU (Comics), Palaye Royale (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Mentions of the Lazarus Pit, Nightmares, Remington is Catlad/Stray, Selina adopts Remington
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-01-06 13:04:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,115
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18388979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/underscorepidge/pseuds/underscorepidge
Summary: ...prowl the streets of Gotham together.Catlad, Kitten to some, is the apprentice to Gotham's infamous socialite and cat thief. his family wants to know where Remington Kropp wandered off to.a series of snapshots into the life of Remington Kyle, his mother, their cats and the city they call home. standalone or interconnected, across all genres.





	1. kitten in the cold

**Author's Note:**

> my brain is a dangerous place to be sometimes.
> 
> s/o to Remy and Riff for encouraging this inevitable mess of an au.
> 
> copious cat puns are sure to come.
> 
> enjoy!

the wind chills Remington to the bone as he makes his way down the street, lost in the meld of sight and sound of the Gotham underbelly. it had been only hours since he wandered away from his family, but it seemed like lightyears away.

a quiet growl interrupts his train of thought, and with an embarrassed blush does he remember that he hasn't eaten since that morning. he wonders if his mommy is looking for him, Sebastian holding onto a crying Emerson. tears cloud his vision as he sniffles wetly.

just a few more blocks of walking, then I'll find shelter. an alleyway looks promising, even as he begins to grow weak. he takes off his coat, throwing it over his shaking form, falling into a restless slumber, head propped against a trashcan. eyes flutter open at his body being picked up, before sliding close again. Remington snuggles against the heat source, content for just a moment.  
.  
.  
of all the things Selina expected to come back home to after "patrol" (i.e. flirting with Batman), finding a little stray, shivering and restless, was not one of them. he was so pale, cheeks a very rosy red, drying tear tracks on his cheeks.

motherly instincts kicking in, she scooped the child up into her arms before ascending the stairs to her penthouse suite. he snuggled closer to her, and Selina found it in her as to not protest too much.

cats swarmed the door when she entered, rising from the couch as to wind around her ankles, looking at the bundle in her hold. it's almost scary how light he is, as she deposits the sleeping form on the couch and takes a heavy quilt to throw over him.

Lyle and Mara assume their usual spots on the back, attentive as she murmurs to her children in a low voice. another stray she had taken in, surely soon to be one of them.

with one last look back, Selina slips into her room, quickly preparing for a restful night of sleep. as her eyelids grow heavy, she internally remarks that her little kitten would like to know where his real family is.  
.  
.  
sunlight filtered through breezy curtains, bathing the living room in a soft golden glow. Remington stirred from his spot on the couch, feeling surprisingly well-rested.

a weight on his chest stirred him further, fur tickling his nose as his eyes slid open. the chubby Ragamuffin chirped, standing up and stretching. in fact, all around them were cats over every shape, size and breed. now that the fog in his brain was clearing, he sat up and soaked in the environment.

this definitely wasn't the alley he had fallen asleep in, for one. it seemed much more homier, if that was a way to put it.

noise from a different direction startled him, panic beginning to settle in his conscious. he had to run, what if it was-

"oh! you're awake."- a pretty lady in a bathrobe, standing in the doorway to the dining room. she was pretty, really pretty, and had a pan in one hand that smelled an awful lot like scrambled eggs. his stomach finally made its presence known with a loud rumble.

Pretty Lady smiled at his flushed cheeks and sauntered away, leaving him to follow after. the rest of the place was just as nice as he expected, mentally making notes as they sat and ate, taking in the silence before the inevitable questions. Remington was grateful for the quiet, it gave him time to think.  
.  
.  
when she knew he was done eating, she took his hands in hers and settled him with a warm gaze. he seemed a little wary.

"when I got home last night, I was not expecting to find you in the alleyway, cold and shivering. tell me, little one, what's your name, and where is your mother?"

he shrunk in on himself, eyes sorrowful, and Selina felt her heart break just a little bit. "My name is Remington Kropp, miss, and I lost my mommy when I got caught up in a crowd. I spent so long trying to find her."

"my name is Selina Kyle, Remington. would you like a hug?" at his nod, she pulls him close, holding on tight as sobs begin to shake his little shoulders. pressing a gentle kiss to his temple, she quietly murmurs that everything will be alright, even when she observes his red and blotchy cheeks as stained with tears.

once his cries quiet down, she scoops him up and moves back towards the living room, plopping him back on the couch. "stay put for a bit, kitten. I'm going to see if I can find any info on your mommy, okay?" at his nod, she smiled, before slinking around the corner, tapping a familiar number on the pad. a gruff voice picked up on the second ring. "Selina, what a surprise. what's the occasion?" "can you do me a favor? I need you to look up some info on a Remington Kropp."  
.  
.  
after Miss Selina turned the corner and walked away, Remington looked around in fascination at all the different felines. in a corner slept an old Persian, snuggled together with a small litter of ginger kittens. too in the zone to notice, a twosome of felines made themselves comfortable in his lap. one was the Ragamuffin sleeping on his chest earlier, and the other was a pretty gray kitty, with bright gold eyes. fingers threaded into fur, he saw the collars around their necks. Lyle and Mara, who he could see himself becoming close friends with.  
.  
.  
setting her phone down on the counter with a sigh, Selina mentally prepares to tell the sweet little boy on her couch the somber news. fingers dug into the doorway, she takes just a moment to observe the wholesome scene before her. Remington is sat on the couch, both arms full of cat, a content glow about him.

"hey, kitten?" he looks up, snuggling close when she sits down next to him, fingers carding through his hair. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but it looks like your family left sometime last night, they likely didn't realize you were gone."

she's ready for him to start crying once again, but he only sighs in defeat, shoulders slumping. he seems so much more older than he really is, and that scares her.

"it's okay, Miss Selina, I'll be fine at a local orphanage." now, that wouldn't do at all. he was much too sweet to be left there, and she really could use a little company.  
.  
.  
"Pumpkin, how would you feel if I adopted you? mama cat and her little kitten." Remington feels a bit of hope well in his heart when she says that. "Really, mama?" the word is heavy on his tongue, but he's sure he can get used to it.

Selina's grin grows impossibly wider, a little misty in the eyes.

"of course, kitten, I need someone to teach my ways."  
.  
.  
before the sun rises, the news hits the tabloids that Gothamite Selina Kyle has adopted, a handsome little boy named Remington. across the US, on a different coast, a family of three mourn the son and brother they lost. this is where the path diverges, yet only time can tell what will happen.


	2. cats, birds and bats on a hot tin roof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Robin and Catlad meet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi, y'all! terribly sorry for not updating in a long while, I got caught up in school and whatnot.
> 
> this is a two-parter chapter! Robin and Catlad will meet out of costume next part, which will introduce some more of the main elements of the planned storyline.
> 
> enjoy!

it's a foggy night in the underbelly of the city, a little over two months after mama had taken him under her wing. between starting at Gotham Prep and all the training in the ways of the cat (burglar), Remington's first official heist mission comes sooner than he expects it to. a chill tickles his skin, getting in-between the sliver of skin separating his cowl and suit. wind whips his hair as he's jumping from rooftop from rooftop. mama motioned for him to pause with a flick of her hand, coming up on a familiar silhouette with pointy ears and a grumpy disposition. Selina smiled, eyes narrowing under her goggles, and Remington found a rooftop to watch the inevitable show. he didn't notice the inquisitive little birdy following his trail.

.

when Robin goes on patrol with Batman one night, it surprises him something fierce, to see a tiny boy that follows Catwoman like she's hung the moon and all the stars in the night sky above them. it's almost endearing, if not for the fact that Catwoman currently has a bag of stolen jewels in one hand, signaling for her sidekick to step far away from what was soon to happen. on the nod of his own mentor, Robin follows the young boy, who has settled down on a ledge a couple of buildings away. maybe he'll find a new friend, or maybe one of them will end up getting pitched over the ledge. whatever the night brings.

.

as cat and bat make nice (ew), Kitten sits upon a ledge some fair distance away, looking at the various skyscrapers of the newer districts of Gotham with misty nostalgia in his gaze. often, he wondered how his mother and brothers were doing all the way back in Los Angeles. true, he did miss them something fierce a lot of the time, but here he had school friends, a mama who loved him very much, and all the cats he could possibly want to pet. maybe all the birds to play with too, as the other sidekick slid down next to him to watch the horizon view as well. a comfortable silence washed over them as they just sat, enjoying the presence of a stranger they did not know yet.

.

holding a hand out for the boy beside him to shake, Robin seems mildly surprised when he does take it, not throwing him over a shoulder to boot! they look at each other face-on, no side glances or hands hiding in strange pockets. "Robin," he introduces himself, pleased when the response is a warm "Catlad, but Catwoman likes to call me Kitten." as accompanied by a sweet little smile. post-internal battle of morals, Robin hauls himself up and walks toward the fire escape, gesturing for the other to follow. Catlad, with a quizzical gleam to his eyes (even if you can't tell through his goggles), asks where they're going that's so important to do. eat is the answer, at the diner at the corner of the street. Robin considers it a win with the wholehearted agreement of a response.

.

a bell above the door chimes merrily as they step inside, greeted by well-worn tile flooring and cracked vinyl booths. the waitress that mans the register looks up, shrugs and goes about ringing up the customer, figuring it not her business to dig into. Robin takes Catlad by the wrist and drags him over to the seater wedged in the corner, a wraparound booth and table right under one of the flickering lamps. menus are already out, like this is a common ritual not many get to observe. (as he finds out many years from now, squished between Nightwing and Red Hood and laughing at a terrible joke Impulse makes as their booth fills up with other heroes at a sedate pace, coming and going as they please, it's the easiest one to go by.) the waitress, Nora by the name on her tag, greets Robin with a warmth of familiarity that he responds to with gusto. chocolate chip pancakes and orange juice for the birdie, and a stack of waffles with a glass of milk for the kitty. they make small talk between bites, trading (vague) backstories and interesting tidbits on their mentors. Batman goes cross-eyed when he sneezes, while Catwoman dropped a glass once because she saw Poison Ivy in a pretty dress. Robin's warm laughter fills Catlad with an easy sort of joy, even moreso as the door opens again to reveal both their mentors, leveling them both a flat look. with that notion, Robin pays the bill (much to Catlad's protest) and they go their separate ways, calling over their shoulders about how they'll talk again when they have a chance. Batman grumbles, albeit fondly, and Catwoman's grip on her sons shoulder loosens just a little. maybe the time will do both of them good.

.

as she tucks him in later on, Selina presses a kiss to Remington's forehead as he settles down, sleepy chatter making way for the evening of breath and his eyes sliding shut. murmuring a quiet goodnight, she steps away and pulls out her phone, reading the message on screen with a little smile. as the night goes on, she plans a little playdate for her youngest (and only) child with the newest little boy wonder. yeah, this could work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, you can chat to me on tumblr (capn-sparklefingers)!

**Author's Note:**

> meow!
> 
> as always, come talk to me on tumblr (babydoll-leith) or discord (underscorepidge#9758)


End file.
